Sunset/Chapter 16
Chapter description :The sun has set, and Brambleclaw leads Stormfur and Brook, two former Tribe cats, back to ThunderClan's camp. Shadows are laying in the hollow, and a few cats linger near the fresh-kill pile. Rainwhisker sees the two Tribe cats, and jumps in surprise, but then he spots Brambleclaw, and only nods silently. The dark brown tabby suggests to speak with Firestar, and bounds over to the rockpile. Brambleclaw reaches the rockpile, with Stormfur and Brook following him, and he scrambles up to his leader's den. Firestar is curled up in his nest when he sees the ginger tom, and when Brambleclaw pauses, Firestar lifts his head. He tells the tabby that it was good he was back, but stops as he spots Stormfur and Brook. Surprised, the dark ginger tabby asks if that's really them, and Brambleclaw confirms so. But he also apologizes to his leader, telling him something happened. :Firestar beckons the two Tribe cats into his den, and asks about RiverClan. Brambleclaw responds that he could call it a problem, and swiftly explains to Firestar of everything that had happened. He mentions Brook chasing that squirrel into ShadowClan territory, and how she and Stormfur had been banished due to it. His dark ginger leader praises Brambleclaw, then turns to Stormfur. He tells the gray tom he could stay for as long as he wants, but Stormfur protests that they'd only be staying one night. However, Firestar simply mews that it's up to him. :Continuing on, Firestar says to Stormfur that he deserves some time to think, as ThunderClan owes him that. Stormfur thanks the ThunderClan leader, and Brook tells her friend it means a lot. Brambleclaw notes that his leader will be happy to welcome them back, for good, but the dark brown tom is more hesitant about it. The tom wonders what his Clanmates' opinions will be, or what will happen when RiverClan finds out. Firestar orders Brambleclaw to show the other cats where they could sleep, and he notes that he'll talk with the warrior more in the morning. :Leaving Firestar's den, the warrior leads Brook and her Tribe mate into the camp clearing. Realizing how hungry he was, he chooses a magpie for himself, while his companions chose their own meal. :Silverpelt glitters overhead as the three finish eating, and Brambleclaw leads the way to the warriors' den. The thorn growth still has traces of the badger attack, but the warriors are in their nests. Some of Brambleclaw's Clanmates are asleep, but a few are sharing tongues drowsily. Stormfur questions if there's any more nests for he and Brook to sleep in. Brambleclaw assures the dark gray cat, and heads for some spare space beside the den wall, but accidentally treads on Dustpelt's tail. :His Clanmate lifts his head irritably, and questions Brambleclaw. He apologizes to the senior warrior, and mentions Stormfur and Brook to him. Dustpelt grunts, wondering if Firestar knows, but Brambleclaw bristles at the senior warrior's suggestion. Dustpelt, however, simply twitches his whiskers, and curls up, curling his tail around his nose. :Brambleclaw escorts his friends to an empty space in the den, and he's relieved to have not woken any of his Clanmates. Squirrelflight wakes up, lifting her head, and greets Brook and Stormfur, asking what they're doing at ThunderClan's camp. Before the former Tribe cats can reply though, Brambleclaw responds to his friend that he'll tell her in a moment. Squirrelflight moves to make room for them, but she prods Cloudtail, saying he takes up as much rom as a badger. Her words alarm the white cat, who lifts his head, asking where tue badger was. Other cats wake up, their heads noted to be popping up all over the den, and Squirrelflght snaps at Cloudtail. She orders him to go back to sleep, and Brambleclaw helps the two cats make their nests. Once he finishes, the tabby tom settles down beside Squirrelflight, yawning. :He yawns, and explains to the dark ginger she-cat everything about Stormfur's and Brook's exile from RiverClan. Squirrelflight wishes she had been there, for she'd have shredded Hawkfrost's ears. However, Brambleclaw replies she wouldn't have, especially not in RiverClan's camp. She flexes her claws, and says that Hawkfrost should stay out of the way. She asks him if Stormfur and Brook will stay, and angles her ears towards the two cats, who were already sleeping. Brambleclaw hopes so, and he yawns again, then meows that ThunderClan needs good warriors. His friend agrees, stating that RiverClan's loss in their gain. She raspes her tongue over his ears, and Brambleclaw drifts into sleep. :When Brambleclaw wakes up, he sees gray light filtering into the den, and is able to hear Sandstorm organizing patrols outside. He hurries out, and then suggests to the pale ginger she-cat to take Stormfur and Brook out on patrol. Brambleclaw adds that it'd be a good way for them to learn their new territory they were living in. Sandstorm twitches her ears, then concedes it's a good idea. Dustpelt approaches the tabby warrior from behind, and asks about his suggestion. :Brambleclaw guesses that the dark tabby was still cranky about being disturbed last night, and Dustpelt mentions that he thought they were only staying overnight. He replies to Dustpelt that nothing has been decided, then wishes he was more tactful, or the senior warrior didn't hear him. Sandstorm cuts in, adding about how it didn't matter now; so now that they were in ThunderClan, they'd have to be useful. Sandstorm pokes her head into the warriors' den, calling for the two cats, and they emerge together. :Dustpelt's tail tip twitches as he heads from the camp, and only Brambleclaw notices it. He joins Brightheart, Cloudtail, and Squirrelflight on patrol. :When they return, all the cats have lots of prey, but Brambleclaw notices his Clanmates are gathered in the clearing. He becomes worried when he realizes its like they're waiting for something. Squirrelflight calls out, wondering what was happening. She then calls to Brackenfur, after dropping her mice, and waves her tail at the ginger tom. She asks him what's happening, and he explains to the dark ginger she-cat that Mousefur, an elder, had called a Clan meeting. Squirrelflight appears surprised, repeating the elder's name. The ginger-brown warrior shrugs at her, confirming that Mousefur had called the meeting. :Cloudtail makes a sarcastic remark, and Brightheart comments that she'll see what Leafpool knows, and bounds off. Her mate follows her with a lash of his tail, and Brambleclaw spots Mousefur and Dustpelt beneath Highrock. His uneasiness grows as he notices how angry both cats look, and Squirrelflight says that she can guess what this meeting is about. He voices his agreement, then turns his head, and looks at Stormfur and Brook, who are seated by the thorn barrier. The tabby tom wonders if both of them are reluctant to join the meeting, if they didn't belong, or if they wanted to escape. He approaches the pair, and asks Brook if she's all right. She murmurs that she's fine, although her eyes betray distress. Stormfur adds that he had a great patrol earlier, because Sandstorm was nice, but when he mentions Dustpelt, he says that the tabby is always rude. :The dark gray tom tells Brambleclaw that when he and Brook returned from their patrol, they had noticed cats were glaring at them. He notes that barely any cat wanted to speak to them, and admits that he thinks Dustpelt went to the elders. Mousefur yowls for Firestar, and he appears from his den, his dark ginger pelt turned to flame in the sunlight. His ears are laced with gold from the brightness, and he asks what Mousefur needs. :The dusky elder tells him the Clan needed to talk with him, and Brambleclaw pads closer, beckoning to Stormfur and Brook. Firestar jumps down from Highrock, and joins his Clanmates in the clearing. The deputy pushes through the crowd, in order to hear what his leader is saying. Firestar questions Mousefur about her needing him, and Dustpelt replies to him. The dark tabby keeps his anger under control, and his voice is serious. : Characters Major }} Minor Mentioned Notes and references Category:The New Prophecy arc Category:Chapter subpages Category:Sunset